Lesotho Loti

Overview

Economy

• Lesotho is a member of SADC, AU, Commonwealth, SACU.
• Main industries include: Food, Beverages, Textiles, Apparel assembly, Handicrafts, Construction, Tourism.
• Lesotho is part of the World Trade Organization.
• Imports are food, building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products.
• Major exports include manufactures, wool, mohair, food, live animals.
• GDP: $2.5 billion (2023 est.).
• GDP per capita: $1,118 (2023 est.).
• Unemployment rate: 24.6% (2017 est.).
• Inflation rate: 6.3% (2023 est.).
• Main trading partners: South Africa, United States, Belgium, Canada, Germany.
• Trade agreements: SACU, SADC Trade Protocol, AGOA, Various bilateral agreements.

History

• Previous currencies used: South African rand, British pound (colonial).
• The loti was introduced in 1980, replacing the South African rand as the sole legal tender. However, the rand continues to circulate and be accepted alongside the loti.
• 1966: Independence from Britain, used South African rand
• 1980: Loti introduced alongside rand
• 1986: Military coup and political instability
• 1993: Return to civilian rule
• 2004: AGOA textile boom begins
• 2012: Political instability and coups
• Exchange rate peg: ZAR (1980-present) at 1:1 parity.
• Currently pegged to ZAR at 1 LSL = 1 ZAR.

General Information

• ISO 4217 Code: LSL
• Symbols: LSL/L
• Currency Subunits: 100 lisente
• Central Bank: Central Bank of Lesotho
• Monetary Policy: Currency board system maintaining ZAR parity. Monetary policy follows South African Reserve Bank decisions due to currency union.
• Bills: 10 LSL, 20 LSL, 50 LSL, 100 LSL, 200 LSL
• Coins: 1 sente, 2 lisente, 5 lisente, 10 lisente, 20 lisente, 50 lisente, 1 loti, 2 maloti, 5 maloti
• USD Exchange Rate: Variable (follows ZAR rate, approximately 18-19 LSL per USD)
• Pegged To: ZAR at 1 LSL = 1 ZAR
• Capital: Maseru
• Population: 2,210,646 (2023 est.)
• Area: 30,355 km²
• Languages: Sesotho (official), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
• Time Zones: UTC+2 (South Africa Standard Time)
• Government Type: Parliamentary constitutional monarchy
• Head of Government: King (head of state), Prime Minister (head of government)
• Independence: October 4, 1966 (from United Kingdom)
• Ethnic Groups: Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, Other 0.3%
• Religions: Protestant 47.8%, Catholic 39.3%, Other Christian 9.1%, Non-Christian 1.4%, None 2.3%
• Literacy Rate: 79.4% (2015 est.)
• Transport: Moshoeshoe I International Airport, mountain roads, no railways, landlocked
• Communications: Basic telecommunications, 43% internet penetration, mobile coverage
• Energy: Hydroelectric 100%, major exporter to South Africa
• Countries Using This Currency: Lesotho
• Data Sources: Central Bank: Central Bank of Lesotho (centralbank.org.ls), Economic Data: Bureau of Statistics Lesotho, World Bank, IMF, Trade Data: Lesotho Revenue Authority, Demographic Data: Bureau of Statistics Lesotho, Geographic Data: Lesotho Meteorological Services, Historical Data: Central Bank of Lesotho archives
• Last Updated: 2025